


First step after the fall

by sugarandspace



Series: Jenna's Wingo fics [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Communication, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s02e08 Love is a Devil, Insecure Alec Lightwood, Insecure Magnus Bane, M/M, Malec Discord Sever WINGO, Suicide Attempt, Vulnerability, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarandspace/pseuds/sugarandspace
Summary: Magnus sees Alec fall from the ledge and in a blink of an eye Magnus' wings are out and he's rushing to catch him. When Alec regains consciousness they need to have a conversation - both about how Alec reacted to the spell and about Magnus' warlock mark.
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Isabelle Lightwood & Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane & Isabelle Lightwood, Magnus Bane & Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Jenna's Wingo fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716703
Comments: 33
Kudos: 266
Collections: Wingo Summer





	First step after the fall

**Author's Note:**

> Wingo square: secret wings. 
> 
> Thank you [percygranger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Percygranger/%22%22) for reading it through!
> 
> Title from Standstill by Poets of the Fall!

And then Alec leans back and starts falling.

Magnus doesn’t think, he just acts.

His heart is beating furiously and between one beat and the next, black wings are emerging from his back. He almost knocks a table over in his hurry to reach Alec. With one beat of his wings, he flies on top of the ledge where Alec stood a second ago and then he’s leaning down too - only his fall is calculated as he keeps his eyes on his falling boyfriend.

Magnus keeps his wings back, their position aiding him to fall faster. It’s a tall building but they are falling fast, and Magnus reaches Alec barely in time. He wraps his arms around Alec and spreads his wings. The added weight makes the wings struggle, but they manage to slow their fall, eventually halting it completely. 

Magnus takes it as a good sign that Alec is clinging to him as hard as he’s clinging to Alec, and he’s trying really hard not to think about the fact that this is the first time Alec sees his warlock mark. 

Magnus doesn’t look at Alec but focuses his eyes up on the roof as they are steadily flying towards it again. He can see Alec’s family there at the ledge, as well as Clary and Simon, and their heads are turned towards them. Magnus fights down the mixed emotions he feels.

This needed to be done. If saving Alec meant revealing his wings not only to Alec but to his family too - to Maryse Lightwood of all people - Magnus will deal with it. At least he has Alec safe and breathing.

They land on the roof softly and as soon as they do, Jace and Isabelle rush over to help. At some point, Alec had lost consciousness so they help him lay down on the sunbed Magnus has on the roof. He stands back and watches as the family gathers around Alec, and he’s hesitant to move closer.

Will they let him close to him, after they saw his true form? 

Magnus doesn’t think he can handle them being afraid of him. Maryse, yes, there’s a big part of Magnus that would enjoy seeing some fear in the woman’s eyes, but he doesn’t think he could handle it from Isabelle or Jace. Least of all from Alexander.

But as it looks like Alec isn’t waking up, Magnus knows he has to go over and see if he could help. What if the spell is still affecting Alec? What it if did some damage? What if something is seriously wrong?

So he pulls his wings back to hiding and walks closer, and to his relief, Jace and Izzy give him room.

Magnus kneels next to the sunbed and focuses really hard to only look at Alec and to ignore whatever looks he might be getting from the others. He scans Alec’s body with his magic and is relieved to see that there’s not a trace of magic in his system, and his body seems unharmed.

“He’s unconscious but there’s nothing wrong with him,” Magnus says. “My guess is that everything was too much for his body and that caused him to lose consciousness. He should be waking up soon.”

“We need to move him inside,” Isabelle says.

Before anyone else can act, Jace has activated his strength rune and is picking Alec up. Clary is moving to the door so she can hold it open, and as soon as she opens it they are reminded of the party still going on inside. Jace halts in his movements. 

“We can’t let people see,” he says. “He wouldn’t want that.”

“I’ll get rid of them,” Magnus says. He wants to do something to help and this is easy, this he can do.

“I need to find Max,” Maryse says and rushes inside. She seems even more tense than usual and she doesn’t look at Magnus as she walks past him.

Magnus takes a deep breath and follows her inside.

-.-.-

He announces everyone that the party is over and people start to leave. As he stands there in the living room, watching people leave, he remembers that they still don’t know what was messing with the guests’ minds. He concentrates and reaches out with his magic, trying to see if he can sense any unfamiliar sources of magic that could be causing this.

He finds small traces from some of the guests, slowly fading off. It seems like none of them are strongly under the spell anymore. Then he senses something else, something smaller and something that's a living thing but too small to be a human.

He starts walking to the direction where the foreign magic is coming from and spots an orange cat on the fire exit. The cat notices Magnus approaching and jumps down to the street below before Magnus has time to react. 

Magnus rushes to the balcony and looks down, just in time to see Iris Rouse disappear through a portal.

So she was the one causing havoc in his party. Magnus needs to find her and figure out why she did it.

Later.

Right now he has more pressing matters.

He goes back inside and all the guests seem to have left. He checks his wards and finds only seven people aside from himself still there.

Alec, Jace, Isabelle, Maryse, Max, Clary and Simon, he counts.

While he’s at it, he strengthens his wards to make sure no one can enter. After that, he goes back to the roof where Alec is laying on the sunbed again, still unconscious. His family is around him while Clary and Simon are standing a bit further away, talking among themselves.

Magnus clears his throat, getting their attention.

“Everyone has left,” he tells them. “And I found out who was behind the spell. It was a warlock named Iris Rouse.”

Clary lets out a gasp.

“We need to find her and bring her to justice,” Maryse says strongly. Magnus agrees but he’s not sure if he trusts Maryse Lightwood’s idea of justice. Then again, the spell almost killed Alec and Magnus isn’t feeling particularly merciful either.

No one has time to say anything before Maryse continues.

“We need to go back to the Institute. Max has his ceremony early tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure to give an order to find this warlock,” she says. Her hard tone softens a little when she looks at Alec and for the first time, Magnus can see a hint of a mother in her. “Let me know when he wakes up.”

Isabelle and Jace nod from where they are kneeling next to Alec. Max gets up from where he’d been next to his sister and takes his mother’s hand.

“Thank you for the party,” he says to Magnus as they walk past. It sounds like a genuine thank you but Magnus can’t help but feel a stab in his chest. What a party it has been.

Unable to find his words, he nods at Max.

“We should probably leave too,” Clary says. “Let us know if there’s anything we can do.”

“We will,” Isabelle says and they say their goodbyes. Simon is being uncharacteristically quiet and Magnus thinks it says a lot about the seriousness of the situation.

The door closes behind Clary and Simon and then it’s just Magnus, Alec, Jace, and Isabelle there.

“We should move him now,” Isabelle says after they’ve been quiet for a while.

“Yeah,” Jace agrees and picks him up again.

“I can use magic,” Magnus suggests, knowing that Alec must be quite heavy to carry.

“It’s okay,” Jace says. “I got him.”

Magnus doesn’t argue, just nods and moves to open the door.

Jace doesn’t hesitate in his steps that take them straight towards Magnus’ bedroom. Magnus opens the door and watches as Jace carefully maneuvers Alec inside so that his head or his long legs don’t hit the doorframe. He’s being very gentle with Alec as he lays him on top of the covers and Magnus remembers that they are parabatai which means that Jace felt an echo of the feelings Alec felt tonight, and that he came very close to feeling him die. 

Magnus doesn’t think he could handle those feelings, couldn’t handle knowing exactly how Alec was feeling there on the roof.

Isabelle takes Alec’s shoes off and covers him with a blanket that Magnus has at the bottom of the bed. Like this, it almost looks like Alec is sleeping.

None of them seems to know what to do next. Jace is kneeling next to Alec, holding his hand, while Isabelle sits on the bed next to his legs, her hand moving up and down his shin soothingly. Magnus stays back, at the end of the bed, giving the siblings some room.

He aches to be closer, to touch Alec, to make sure he’s okay, but he knows his siblings share those feelings as well. So he settles for watching the steady rise and fall of Alec’s chest.

“Magnus?” Jace asks suddenly.

“Hmm?” Magnus turns his attention to Jace who’s now looking at him.

“What he did today,” Jace starts and looks at Alec again. “How much of it was because of the spell?”

Isabelle lets out a gasp and looks at Magnus as well, before looking at Alec, her expression clearly shocked. It is obvious she thought the spell was the only thing to blame for what happened today.

Jace looks at Magnus again, and it looks like he has a guess and that he doesn’t want to be right. 

“From what I understand,” Magnus starts slowly. “The spell was targeting people’s insecurities. It brought them up and made people see things that ‘proved’ their thoughts right.”

Magnus wants to leave it at that but at the same time, he knows this is something the siblings should be aware of. He takes in a deep breath before he continues.

“It didn’t have a say in how the victim reacts to those thoughts and hallucinations.”

Jace nods solemnly and reaches his other hand towards Isabelle when she sniffles and wipes at her face.

“He hides so much from us,” Isabelle says quietly, still looking at Alec. Her voice wobbles a little when she continues. “We are adults, you could think that he wouldn’t need to act so protectively anymore. He doesn’t need to shield us from things.”

“That’s just how he is,” Jace says as he looks at Alec. “He’s not used to leaning on others. He doesn’t want to seem weak or bother us with his problems. I have a feeling that no matter how old we get, he’s always going to be our big brother and he’s going to act like that.”

“You’re probably right,” Isabelle says quietly. “I’m happy he finally has someone in his life he can be vulnerable with.”

Isabelle turns her teary eyes towards Magnus and Magnus freezes. Then she talks again.

“I trust you to be there when he needs someone to lean on,” she tells Magnus seriously.

“Of course,” Magnus says. His mind flashes to a moment at the fire exit a couple of nights ago when they had discussed what happened to Jocelyn. Alec had sought him out when he was distressed - or at least he’d come to his loft, Magnus isn’t sure if he planned to be found - and Magnus takes it as a good sign. It also hurts a little to realize that Alec probably hasn’t felt like that before. Like he could go to someone for kind words and comfort.

They fall to silence after that, everyone focused on Alec who’s laying unmoving on the bed, save from the up and down of his chest.

“Alec is not going to like it if he wakes up and we’re all here staring at him,” Jace says after a while. 

“You’re right,” Isabelle agrees. “As much as I’d like to stay, what we just talked about fits this situation too. He would get uncomfortable if he woke up to find us all here.”

She gets up and walks closer to the headboard and brushes some of Alec’s hair from his forehead and leans down to leave a kiss there. When she straightens herself up she looks at Magnus.

“You should stay,” Isabelle tells him. “Someone needs to, and I feel like at the moment you’re the best option.”

“I agree,” Jace says. 

Magnus is speechless. Just a little over an hour ago he was terrified of their reactions, but this is the ultimate proof of trust. These Nephilim are willing to leave their brother alone with him. They are acting like it’s no big deal that Magnus is hiding a pair of large black wings. They were reminded of how different Magnus is but they are not afraid. Magnus swallows thickly and nods.

“I’ll make sure nothing happens to him,” he tells the siblings seriously. “And that he’s as comfortable as possible when he wakes up.”

Both of them nod and start leaving the room. Jace squeezes Magnus’ shoulder on his way past and Isabelle hugs him tightly, whispering in his ear.

“Thank you for saving him.”

Magnus returns the hug tightly.

Eventually, she pulls back and walks to where Jace is waiting for her at the door. He wraps his arm around Isabelle’s shoulders and Isabelle leans to him.

“Come on Izzy,” he says. “You can stay with me tonight.”

“I will portal you to the Institute tomorrow morning,” Magnus promises. Despite everything that happened tonight, their little brother will have his rune ceremony at sunrise. They will all be tired but Magnus knows they wouldn’t miss it for the world.

“Thanks, Magnus,” Jace says and then they leave the room, closing the door behind them.

Magnus turns his attention back to Alec. He walks closer to him, his steps slow. He uses his magic to bring an armchair from the corner of the room closer until it’s right next to the bed and sits down in it.

He doesn’t really know where their relationship stands right now. When he saw Alec fall tonight, he’d been terrified. They haven’t been dating for long but already the idea of losing Alec feels unbearable. He had known that Alec has some issues but tonight has shone more light to how deep they might go.

When Magnus had let his wings out, it had been pure instinct. He doesn’t regret it, could never regret something that saved Alec’s life. But at the same time he can’t help but think that this isn’t how Alec was supposed to find out. 

Alec has been accepting and obviously doesn’t care that Magnus is a Downworlder. Magnus likes to think that Alec wouldn’t think any differently about him because of his wings. But at the same time in his many years of living, he’s witnessed a lot of reactions, both good and bad. There have been people who he’s trusted that have looked at him with horror in their eyes as he’s revealed his mark to them. Some because they’ve known and have been able to make the connection between Magnus’ wings and the wings on his father’s back, some purely because it’s a clear proof of Magnus’ demonic heritage. Alec obviously knows that Magnus has a demonic parent, but nothing quite makes it more clear than two big wings in his back.

He hadn’t even realized that he’d stood up and started pacing until he hears rustling from the bed behind him. He turns around and sees that Alec is slowly opening his eyes, looking around himself with confusion. 

Magnus rushes back to him and sits down on the armchair, staying on the edge of the seat, ready to act if Alec needs help. Alec’s eyes find him and a slow smile rises to his lips.

“Hey.”

“Hey to yourself,” Magnus replies gently. He returns the smile although he knows Alec’s will fade in a second as he remembers what happened.

Magnus is right. Alec moves so that instead of laying down he’s resting against the headboard and as he takes a look at the nice clothes he’s still wearing, it seems to click that he’s not just waking up from Magnus’ bed after a lovely nap or a full night’s sleep. His eyes widen and then he’s looking at Magnus, looking like he has so many things to say and so many questions to ask but he doesn't know where to start.

Magnus feels sorry for the man so he decides to start.

“Iris Rouse crashed the party,” he explains, cautiously taking Alec’s hand to his, hoping to provide some comfort. The relief he feels when Alec doesn’t pull away is near physical thing. “She used a spell that made some of the guests see things and hear things that weren’t true. For example, Clary saw Simon flirting with Maia.”

Magnus deliberately doesn’t mention what Alec saw. He doesn’t need to, because Alec continues from where he left off.

“And I saw Clary,” he says quietly. He’s no longer looking at Magnus, but rather at their hands.

“And you saw Clary,” Magnus confirms.

It’s quiet in the room for a while after that.

“Alec-”

“I don’t want to die,” Alec rushes out, looking at Magnus with desperation in his eyes. “I don’t.”

Magnus wants to accept that answer and let Alec change the topic of the conversation, but he knows it’s not true. It might be easier but it’s not the right route to take. So he repeats the same thing he told Alec’s siblings.

“The spell brought out everyone’s insecurities,” he says. “Everyone chose how to act on them completely on their own.”

Alec is shaking his head now, properly looking at Magnus. “No.”

Magnus is struck with a realization that this is probably the most vulnerable Alec has ever been, and that he has no experience of situations like this. He knows he needs to be careful, to have the right balance of push and support.

“I believe you,” Magnus says. And he does. He believes that this Alec right in front of him does not want to die. He has no doubt that the spell that targeted his insecurities hit them hard, amping up the already high levels of guilt Alec was feeling after what happened with the demon. It pushed Alec hard. The reason Magnus is worried is because Alec’s reaction wasn’t to defend himself, not even simply escape the situation by going to another room. No, Alec’s reaction was to punish himself, to give a life as if as a payment for the one he took. And it terrifies Magnus that this might happen again.

Alec looks slightly relieved at Magnus' words, but Magnus isn’t done.

“But if things ever get that bad,” he says, making sure that Alec is looking at him. He’s holding both of his hands now, not letting them fidget. “Promise me. Alexander, I need you to promise me you will talk to me. Or anyone else. Don’t push us away.”

Alec nods, keeping the eye contact even though Magnus can see he’d like to look away, to at least on some level escape the intensity of this conversation.

“You mean a lot to us,” Magnus says. He wants to say something else, a certain four-letter word strong on his tongue, but he holds it back, knowing this day has already been a lot. He can wait a few more days. “It would kill us to lose you.”

Alec closes his eyes tightly and nods, swallowing thickly.

“I know.”

“So will you promise me?” Magnus asks gently.

“I promise,” Alec says, and he looks Magnus in the eyes. Then it looks like he remembers something, and Magnus can guess what it is from the way Alec’s eyes move over Magnus’ shoulder, trying to focus on something that’s not there.

“You saved me,” Alec says. He looks at Magnus for confirmation, like he’s not sure if he remembers correctly. Like his mind might have made up the large black wings and his boyfriend flying to save him as he kept falling.

Alec has been vulnerable, now it’s Magnus’ turn.

Magnus takes a deep breath before he speaks, “I did.”

Alec’s eyes widen slightly. It’s such a small reaction Magnus would have missed it if he weren’t looking at Alec’s face so closely.

“Can I see?” Alec asks quietly. 

Magnus thinks about it for a moment but knows there’s only one answer. He braces himself for whatever reaction he might get before he nods and slowly lets his wings out.

He’s careful with them, making sure he doesn’t knock anything down as his large wings stretch out on his sides. Alec turns his head to take in the entirety of them and it’s killing Magnus not to be able to read Alec’s expression. He’s still letting Magnus hold his hands, and Magnus allows it to light a spark of hope.

“Magnus,” Alec breathes out. “They are beautiful.”

The sentence takes Magnus so strongly by surprise he doesn’t even register that Alec is letting go of his hands and is reaching one hesitant hand towards Magnus’ wing. He stops before his fingers reach the feathers though and looks at Magnus, asking for permission.

“Can I?”

Magnus nods, still recovering from the small shock. His wings have been called many things but very rarely has anyone described them as beautiful. 

“Yes, of course,” Magnus says quickly and moves closer, sitting on the edge of the bed now instead of the armchair.

Alec starts from the top of his wing, his fingers gliding over smooth feathers. He’s looking at them as he brushes his hand down, reaching the softer feathers in the middle of the wing.

Magnus is helpless to do anything else but look at Alec’s awed expression.

Alec’s fingers are gentle, careful not to hurt Magnus or push the feathers askew. The touch makes Magnus shiver.

“This is your warlock mark?” Alec asks, looking at Magnus.

“Yes,” Magnus says.

“Thank you for showing me,” Alec says genuinely.

Magnus lets out a little laugh that’s a lot more genuine than he would have been capable of just a few minutes ago. 

“Your whole family saw them earlier,” he reminds Alec. “There’s really no point for me to hide them from you any longer.”

Alec pulls his hand away and Magnus already misses the touch.

“Just because you were forced to show them earlier - about which I’m sorry, you never should have needed to do that,” Alec says and Magnus has to stop him there.

“Don’t apologize,” Magnus says quickly. “Not about that.”

Alec nods and then continues.

“Just because you were forced to show them earlier doesn’t mean you have to show them again,” he says. “They are an important part of you and I understand if you don’t want to show them.”

“I don’t mind,” Magnus finds himself saying and meaning the words. “Not when it’s you.”

The smile he gets as a reply is so soft Magnus has trouble breathing for a second. He fears that he might be dreaming, but even in his dreams, he wasn’t able to expect a reaction like this. This level of acceptance and even admiration. 

“They are so big,” Alec comments as he keeps looking at the wings. Magnus tears his eyes away from Alec to look at his wing, at the way the black feathers shine with shades of blue under the bedroom lights. He looks back at Alec and sees that his hands are moving restlessly, itching to touch but mindful of any boundaries Magnus might have. 

“I already told you, you can touch them,” Magnus says and finds himself smiling when Alec immediately does so, burying his fingers into the softer feathers.

“Tell me if I hurt you,” Alec says and glances from the wing to Magnus’ face long enough to see Magnus nod.

“As long as you don’t pull the feathers it should be fine,” Magnus tells him.

It encourages Alec to push his fingers deeper into the feathers, far enough to touch the wing under them. His fingers follow one of the larger bones that helps Magnus expand the wing. He might not let them out often, but he makes sure to go to a secluded place every now and then, somewhere where he won’t be seen, and where he can fly and flex his wings. The muscles are strong, but they are aching a little from the extra weight they had to carry tonight.

Alec’s touch is soothing, not different from when he cards his fingers through Magnus’ hair.

“Does it hurt you to keep them hidden?” Alec asks as he keeps tracing the bones and the muscles. “How does that work?”

“Magic,” Magnus explains simply. “It doesn’t hurt, I can’t really even feel them normally. However, if I have to keep them hidden for a long time - say for example for weeks - they do start to ache. I need to stretch them every now and then.”

Alec nods, listening carefully.

Magnus is still finding it difficult that Alec is here, touching his wings, and being interested in what Magnus can tell about them. Alec is looking at his wings with a certain level of awe in his eyes and Magnus can only imagine that his own expression is similar as he’s watching Alec.

“You can fly,” he says as if it’s a thought that he didn’t mean to voice. Magnus answers anyway.

“I can,” he says. “I don’t do it often and therefore I’m not the most skilled at it but I can fly.”

“Like you did tonight.”

“Like I did tonight,” he agrees.

“Thank you,” Alec says, looking Magnus in the eyes again. “I never thanked you for what you did. So thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Magnus replies. 

“I want to,” Alec says. “You didn’t need to do that, you didn’t need to reveal your mark to my whole family but you did. And I want you to know that I appreciate it so much.”

“Letting you fall was never an option,” Magnus replies. He sees that Alec wants to say something more, probably stop Magnus from downplaying what he did, but he speaks before Alec has the chance. They’ve already been through this, and Magnus has no hard feelings towards what he had to do. He’s still a little unsure about how the others truly feel about him now and he dislikes the idea that Maryse now has something more to use against him but in the grand scheme of things, those things don't matter. Deep down Magnus doesn’t care what they think about his mark. There was only one person in the party whose opinion matters, and that person is sitting in front of him openly admiring the wings. He wants Alec to understand that.

“Would I have shown them to your family if it didn’t come up to saving your life? No. But do I regret it? That is also a no,” he tells Alec calmly. “It doesn’t matter that they saw them, or that it might have made them think of me differently. It matters that you aren’t afraid.”

“You were scared I would be afraid of them?” Alec asks, his tone surprised.

Afraid, disgusted, weirded out… Magnus doesn’t elaborate.

“Many people have been,” he simply says. He wants to look down but he stays strong and keeps looking at Alec, whose eyebrows have furrowed in what Magnus doesn’t know is sadness or confusion.

“Idiots,” he replies simply. It’s so sudden it makes Magnus laugh a little, the mood lifting from the somber atmosphere it had started to fall into. “I’m not afraid, I’m amazed that my boyfriend is even more beautiful than I originally thought.”

“Alexander Lightwood,” Magnus says in a mock shocked voice. “Are you trying to flirt?”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Alec says and gently whacks Magnus on the chest. It looks like he’s about to say something more but he’s interrupted by a yawn.

“Come on,” Magnus says, sobering a little but keeping a light smile on his face. “It’s late and you have to be up early. We should sleep.”

Alec nods his reply and starts to get up. Magnus halts his movement with a hand on his chest.

“Where do you think you're going?” He asks.

“I can’t exactly sleep in these,” Alec says and gestures to the formal wear he’s still wearing. 

“Ah,” Magnus brightens when he realizes. “No need to get up. Can I?”

He gestures with his hand in what is a clear imitation of magic and Alec nods. With a snap of Magnus’ fingers and a light blue glow, Alec’s clothes turn to a much more comfortable outfit of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Magnus glamours his wings to hiding and snaps his fingers a second time to get himself into his soft silk pyjamas, the make-up gone from his face.

He tries to hide the small smile that rises to his lips as he sees Alec’s slightly disappointed reaction to the wings disappearing.

“Come on,” he says as he gets up and walks to the other side of the bed, one that is quickly turning to his side. “Under the covers.”

Alec does as he’s told, moving so he’s under the covers with his head resting on a pillow. Magnus follows his lead and climbs in as well, settling comfortably against the soft sheets. It’s been a long day, and as he’s finally laying down it starts to catch up with him how tired he is. He snaps his fingers to turn the lights off and then turns to his side, trying to make up Alec’s silhouette in the dim light the moonlight provides as it sneaks into the room through a gap in the curtains.

Alec is laying on his side as well, facing Magnus.

Magnus breathes in deeply and feels his body relax to the mattress, even more so when Alec hesitantly moves closer and cuddles in so that his head is tucked under Magnus’ chin. They haven’t had the chance to sleep in the same bed many times yet, but Magnus has quickly learned that Alec likes to cuddle. And he has absolutely no complaints about that.

Magnus has one of his hands under his pillow while the other holds Alec close. 

Alec brings one of his arms over Magnus’ waist, and Magnus knows what he’s looking for when his hand moves slowly to rest over Magnus’ shoulder blade.

“Go to sleep,” he chides, his tone gentle.

“Right,” Alec says, moving his hand so it’s resting a bit lower. “Sorry.”

“No worries, darling,” Magnus says and leans down to leave a kiss to the top of Alec’s head. “You've had a long day, get some rest before we have to get up.”

The only reply he gets is another yawn Alec tries to stifle against Magnus’ chest.

Magnus falls asleep quickly, pulled in by Alec’s calm breaths that he can both hear and feel as his arm rests over Alec’s ribs. 

-.-.-

The next morning when Alec and Magnus walk out of the bedroom with their hands clasped together, Jace and Isabelle are already awake. Magnus smiles as he watches both of the siblings greet Alec with hugs that last for a long time and that even Magnus can see are very tight - the type of hugs that try to convey through touch all the things a person can’t say with words.

Alec hugs them back just as tightly and gives them both bright smiles when they step away. 

Magnus gets his own smile too, and it’s from Isabelle. It’s when Jace is taking Alec to the kitchen, asking him to make them all his famous french toast that he used to make them when they were kids. Isabelle locks eyes with Magnus and smiles at him, a smile that speaks of great gratitude.

Magnus smiles back and gives Isabelle a sideways hug as they follow Alec and Jace into the kitchen.

The atmosphere is very different from last night, full of easy laughter and smiles and joy. 

Last night is not forgotten, something like that can never be, but it’s not the focus of today. It’s a new day and the support and love are clear in their words and actions. 

They learnt a lot last night when the spell brought out more things that Iris probably intended. They still don’t know what she was trying to accomplish with the spell but Magnus knows that while it almost caused great damage, in the end they ended up stronger because of it.

But even if that is the case, he knows that when they eventually do find her, she’ll get what she deserves and it will not be a thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> You can find me from [tumblr](https://sugarandspace.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/sugarandspace_)!


End file.
